Racing next week. Any tips?

[Kinger]

I'm putting my car in the 1/4 mile for the first time next week. I have a 96 Eagle Talon
5 spd manual

Does anyone out there have any tips so that I wont make a fool out of myself?

 

[minendo]

Remember to push the gas pedal when it is time to go.

 

[pac1085]

Does anyone out there have any tips so that I wont make a fool out of myself?

Yes, dont go in that car
















JK

 

[GISTechnician]

When I used to race we always made fun of people who would do huge burnouts with street radial tires in hopes of heating them up for more traction. Don't do that.

 

[Rallispec]

just try to have fun

 

[Kinger]

Originally posted by: ICSVortex

Does anyone out there have any tips so that I wont make a fool out of myself?

Yes, dont go in that car


















JK

LOL! Aww come on now...she'll do 0-60 in about 3 days

 

[GISTechnician]

Is it bracket racing?

 

[notfred]

I'll assume you're on street tires.

Lower the pressure to 25PSI or so.
Don't do a burnout on those tires.
When you roll up to the staging lights, try to stage as far back as possible. Stop the car from rolling the instant the stage lgiht comes on, you'll get better ETs.
waer your seatelt and keep the windows rolled up as soon as you leave the staging lanes.
If you think you can run 13's, bring a helmet.
If you think you can run 13's but don't have a helmet, tell the tech you run 14s.
Make sure the car is NOT in reverse when you try to launch it (yes this happens occasionally).
Don't spiun the tires. You're better off w/ less gas or letting the clutch otu slower.
60' is everything. a 0.25 second difference in your 60" time can make a 0.5 second difference in your ET.
Spinning the tires when you launch can make a 0.5 second difference in your 60' time.

Is that thing AWD?

 

[LAUST]

Do like GISTechnician said and don't do big burn outs, just do a small one to kick the pebbles off your tires.

Then don't wait for the light to turn GREEN, go on the last yellow or your reaction times are gonna suck.

And don't be one of those guys who thinks because you ran a 14.5 and got a 1.000 light, if you had got a .500 light you would be a 14.0 sec car.... Your car starts the clock not the light.


That is all young grasshoppa

 

[Kinger]

Awesome! Thanks guys.

No it's not AWD. It a 'Plain Jane" Talon two wheel peel.

 

[LAUST]

Originally posted by: Kinger
Awesome! Thanks guys.

No it's not AWD. It a 'Plain Jane" Talon two wheel peel.

Hey nice and clean though!! Not all riced out (different color fenders, superwing) but very sporty lookin and looks well taken care of.

 

[lRageATMl]

So many things...

First off lowering tire pressure won't help you that much and just isn't worth it.

go to the track with 1/4 tank of gas, gas is heavy, also remove what you can from your car, spare tire/jack, subwoofers if you have any, and anything else that can weight your car down. every 1lb makes a difference. Infact when I go I go all out and take out my back seat, light bar, carpet and the whole 9 yards.

next, make sure you have fun and don;t get frustrated.

next tip, leave on teh last amber light, not on green, maybe even a little before the last one...why? because your have .5 to play with...the reaction time clocker doesn't start at your wheels, it's a little ahead of you (very small amount of distance. but keep in mind, .500 is a perfect reaction time...anythig under that means you left too early.

One more thing, keep an eye on your tach...shift at the last moment possible in eveyr gear (and don;t miss one!!!). try lauching, not sure how well your car will do, but hell it can;t be as bad as mine. Leave the line at 2k ot 3k rpm and feather in teh clutch. these are all things you will learn...

lastly...be aware...you will become addicted

 

[Kinger]

Originally posted by: LAUST

Originally posted by: Kinger
Awesome! Thanks guys.

No it's not AWD. It a 'Plain Jane" Talon two wheel peel.

Hey nice and clean though!! Not all riced out (different color fenders, superwing) but very sporty lookin and looks well taken care of.

Thanks Laust! I try to keep her clean. It's no easy task esp when my girlfriend lives on a dirt road.

 

[notfred]

Originally posted by: lRageATMl
So many things...

First off lowering tire pressure won't help you that much and just isn't worth it.

It'll help a little, it's free, and almsot effortless, so I don't see how it can't be worth it.

go to the track with 1/4 tank of gas, gas is heavy, also remove what you can from your car, spare tire/jack, subwoofers if you have any, and anything else that can weight your car down. every 1lb makes a difference. Infact when I go I go all out and take out my back seat, light bar, carpet and the whole 9 yards.

Lowering tire pressure will make at least as much difference as taking out the carpet, and takes a LOT less effort, but, if you want, you can strip out the interior. The genreal rule of thunb is 0.1 seconds for every 100lbs of weight. I don't know how accurate that is though, cause I don't strip my interior at the track.

next, make sure you have fun and don;t get frustrated.

Yeah, don't get upset if you do bad, it takes practice.

next tip, leave on teh last amber light, not on green, maybe even a little before the last one...why? because your have .5 to play with...the reaction time clocker doesn't start at your wheels, it's a little ahead of you (very small amount of distance. but keep in mind, .500 is a perfect reaction time...anythig under that means you left too early.

Leave as soon as the 3rd yellow comes on, don't try do go any sooner than that on your first day.

One more thing, keep an eye on your tach...shift at the last moment possible in eveyr gear (and don;t miss one!!!). try lauching, not sure how well your car will do, but hell it can;t be as bad as mine. Leave the line at 2k ot 3k rpm and feather in teh clutch. these are all things you will learn...

This depends on your car, and you should really get it dynoed if you want to see where you're getting peak power at. My car redlines at 5900, but I can shave a 1/10th or two off my ET by shifting at 5400 or so.

lastly...be aware...you will become addicted

oh, yeah...

298rwhp/303rwtq, 1/4 13.42@104.x, 2.01 60', and .502 reaction time!!!),

You should be running faster times w/ those numbers.

 

[lRageATMl]

Originally posted by: notfred

298rwhp/303rwtq, 1/4 13.42@104.x, 2.01 60', and .502 reaction time!!!),

You should be running faster times w/ those numbers.

I have the pore street radials on my car. tyr launching my car with 4.30's in the back ... and I also have the IRS in the back (99 Cobra's and up). I have down a lot to eliminate teh wheel hop, but I can only do so much. And yes, my trap speed should be up and 1mph at least...but I had issues with my car. (damn check engine light...i have to stop modding it...but that's another addiction).

I did use drag radials once, and ran a 12.74 @ 106.24 but hte next run I broke a halfshaft...thanks you ford for using POS halfshafts...so now I limit myself to the street radials untill I can chalk up 800 bucks for better ones.

 

[fastz28]

Good advices so far.

Here's a few more to keep in mind so you don't piss others off:

1. turn off AC. Water on the track is suck.
2. Since you are fwd, not doing a burn out, go around the water box.
3. Start saving money because you'll want to go quicker, no matter what you run now.

 

[notfred]

Originally posted by: lRageATMl

Originally posted by: notfred

298rwhp/303rwtq, 1/4 13.42@104.x, 2.01 60', and .502 reaction time!!!),

You should be running faster times w/ those numbers.

I have the pore street radials on my car. tyr launching my car with 4.30's in the back ... and I also have the IRS in the back (99 Cobra's and up). I have down a lot to eliminate teh wheel hop, but I can only do so much. And yes, my trap speed should be up and 1mph at least...but I had issues with my car. (damn check engine light...i have to stop modding it...but that's another addiction).

I did use drag radials once, and ran a 12.74 @ 106.24 but hte next run I broke a halfshaft...thanks you ford for using POS halfshafts...so now I limit myself to the street radials untill I can chalk up 800 bucks for better ones.

Yeah, 12.74 sounds better for that HP. It's only $300 for a set of axles for my good old solid rear axle, plus, how many people do you know that have broken even the stock 28 spline axles in these things

 

[lRageATMl]

Yeah, 12.74 sounds better for that HP. It's only $300 for a set of axles for my good old solid rear axle, plus, how many people do you know that have broken even the stock 28 spline axles in these things

with the IRS??? jsut about everyone who tries...remember no solid rear axle in my car.